Post Reply 
Can we have RPN back?
01-26-2014, 10:24 AM (This post was last modified: 01-26-2014 11:12 AM by Tugdual.)
Post: #1
Can we have RPN back?
Coming from the HP15C, i Just can't use that HP Prime version of RPN (not mentionning all the compatibility issues, just basic talking about calculations).

Before we had X,Y,Z,T registers and X was the screen. Now it looks like Row 1 became X and there is an undetermined use of the input row that would often requires ENTER to push it into R1 so that something happens. Still, sometime, the Prime assumes that the input screen can be used...

As a result "2 ENTER 3 +" produces the same result as "2 ENTER 3 ENTER +"
But don't assume that the screen is X because you'll have other blockers rapidly. This is just confusing.

I recently found the "swap" key which emulates the X<>Y key on HP 15C. For those who like me missed it, on the prime it is the tiny cryptic symbol next to the comma ','.
Do 2 ENTER 3 ENTER and SWAP would indeed swap R1 and R2
Now do 2 ENTER 3 SWAP and you end up iwth "3," on the input row whyle R1 remains 2.
Then you have no option but delete the mess manually.

Same if you enter : Shit ESC (clear) 5 *
It tells you that the number of arguments is incorrect. On the 15C you would never get such error because the registers are rotating and never empty; this being said, I accept it may not be the expected result providing you may not know what Y was... Now back on prime, the Input row now says "5 *". Great. Why do I need to see a '*' on the input row? Again I have to clear it manually now.

The beauty of RPN is that it is an extension of the mind, think about the calculation and the calculator takes care of the maths details. With this Prime version, I have lost all the benefit of RPN and find myself switching back to the book entry and just typing things as they come. So what is the message? Is RPN dead? Do we have a fake RPN implementation to please grumpy old gits? This is supposed to be a calculator, not a pocket computer, doing quick and dirty calculations is a must otherwise I just use Excel.

What I would like to see is the restoration of something closer to X,Y,Z,T. It was proven that the human brain cannot be conscious of more than a very limited number of things (like less than 5) at the same time. No need for infinite number of registers, this is just plain useless. I would like to see the real mechanism back that allows you to roll UP and DOWN the stack with all the copy mechanism (very Sadly the R^ or Rv keys are missing but well, we do have a touch screen for a mitigation, don't we? We could have buttons or use the finger to drag the stack up and/or down, just being creative, not sure that would be super efficient). Swap shall swap X<->Y like it did before. This doesn't seem too difficult to emulate, is it?
In the meantime, chances are that the Prime will take the dust while my new 15C LE will remain active.

Edit: just found the "Legacy RPN" idea here http://www.hpmuseum.org/forum/thread-173...hlight=RPN.
I think that is a pretty good one though I remain convinced that the non legacy is actually useless...
Find all posts by this user
Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 


Messages In This Thread
Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 01-26-2014 10:24 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 01-26-2014, 05:42 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 01-26-2014, 07:29 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 01-26-2014, 05:45 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Craig Thomas - 01-26-2014, 06:23 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Joe Horn - 01-27-2014, 03:58 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 01-27-2014, 06:32 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Joe Horn - 01-27-2014, 07:56 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 01-28-2014, 06:14 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 01-26-2014, 07:02 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 01-26-2014, 07:47 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 03-27-2014, 02:31 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 03-27-2014, 03:58 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Han - 01-26-2014, 08:57 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-09-2014, 02:50 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Craig Thomas - 01-26-2014, 11:53 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Mark Hardman - 01-27-2014, 01:03 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Craig Thomas - 01-27-2014, 06:45 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 01-27-2014, 09:24 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Ivan Rancati - 03-28-2014, 06:29 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 03-28-2014, 06:41 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Craig Thomas - 03-30-2014, 06:24 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 01-27-2014, 03:45 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - rlinden12 - 02-04-2014, 11:28 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 02-05-2014, 06:28 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Joe Horn - 02-05-2014, 10:01 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Craig Thomas - 02-06-2014, 12:31 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Steve Simpkin - 02-06-2014, 01:40 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Steve Simpkin - 02-09-2014, 11:43 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Han - 02-10-2014, 01:53 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-10-2014, 04:26 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Han - 02-10-2014, 08:00 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-10-2014, 08:47 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Steve Simpkin - 02-10-2014, 08:58 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-10-2014, 09:51 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 02-10-2014, 10:00 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-10-2014, 10:14 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 02-10-2014, 10:23 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 02-11-2014, 10:53 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 03-27-2014, 04:08 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 03-28-2014, 03:34 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 03-28-2014, 11:42 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 03-29-2014, 03:05 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - HP67 - 03-30-2014, 07:05 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Jake Schwartz - 03-27-2014, 06:06 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 03-29-2014, 12:21 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 03-29-2014, 12:45 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tugdual - 03-29-2014, 07:16 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - HP67 - 03-30-2014, 07:07 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Joe Horn - 03-30-2014, 09:40 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 03-29-2014, 05:00 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - John R. Graham - 03-29-2014, 11:53 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - orcinus - 04-02-2014, 09:26 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - HP67 - 03-30-2014, 09:45 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - RyanB - 03-30-2014, 04:35 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - HP67 - 03-30-2014, 04:42 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Joe Horn - 03-31-2014, 03:37 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Han - 03-31-2014, 04:00 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - HP67 - 03-31-2014, 06:19 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Thomas Radtke - 03-31-2014, 06:32 AM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - RyanB - 03-30-2014, 07:20 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Matt Agajanian - 03-30-2014, 08:02 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Tim Wessman - 03-31-2014, 03:01 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Steve Simpkin - 03-31-2014, 04:22 PM
RE: Can we have RPN back? - Matt Agajanian - 04-02-2014, 05:31 PM



User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)